Happy April! WOW!!! Our world has been turned upside down! It seems like ages since I sent this out… Ok, I am a little behind, but it is still only a month later. So much has happened. Many of us are working from home. Many of us have now become homeschooling parents. Many of us are just struggling to survive. If you are in one of those categories… please raise your hand! ME! ME! ME! Did you see I have all my hands up? Ok… I don’t have 3 hands… but… Yes indeed we are struggling to survive this new normal of homeschooling and the need to be secluded in our home. It is an accomplishment for us just to manage not biting the other persons head off each hour.
I hope that during this time of seclusion and slowness… you are finding a way to take care of yourself as well. I know that many of us have shared that being secluded, not being able to get out, is just part of our normalcy. This isn’t much different than how it was before March15th 2020. And others of us are really struggling with the day to day interactions with people who are not normally in our space every day. What do we do? How do we cope? How do we manage this time with sooo much togetherness? Well… all I can really say is just take it one day at a time. One hour at a time. Many people have said that they hope we don’t get back to “normal.” We have learned so many things by being forced to slow down and look at what is important. I too hope that several of these changes take root and continue, but to be honest…. My time as a homeschool teacher…. Yeah… that can go away. I always knew it wouldn’t be a good thing for me or my family. At least now I have the experience and can say I tried it!
On the bright side… I wanted to give you some resources that maybe you haven’t seen yet. First – check out my new website! Still at autismsosmn.com but hopefully you will notice a little different look and feel to it. ALSO there are links, on the last page, to all my previous Islander newsletters. So if you have missed any, or want to reread one, check them out!
Resources I’ve received from our county contact:
https://ausm.org/resources/covid-19-pandemic.html
Food Information:
http://www.hungersolutions.org/2020/03/16/meals-for-kids-during-covid-19-closings/
Free Food Distribution (Food Shelves)
1. ACBC: www.acbcfoodshelf.com
2. NACE www.nacefoodshelf.org
3. CEAP: www.ceap.org
4. SACA: www.sacafoodshelf.org
Free food in restaurants
Websites that have updated information on food resources:
https://givemethemike.com/2020/03/15/a-growing-list-of-programs-and-restaurants-offering-food-to-families-in-minnesota/#Minneapolis
https://kstp.com/coronavirus/list-of-restaurants-offering-free-lunches-while-schools-are-cloased/5674954/?cat=12196
Internet
Two months of free internet through Comcast. To sign up, visit www.internetessentials.com. The accessible website also includes the option to video chat with customer service agents in American Sign Language. There are also two dedicated phone numbers 1-855-846-8376 for English and 1-855-765-6995 for Spanish.
Mental Health Resources
Anoka County Mobile Crisis Response: 763-755-3801
Crisis Text Line https://www.crisistextline.org/ Text 741741
Suicide Prevention Lifeline https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 1-800-273-8255
Health Resources
Call before going to the doctor or hospital! They will tell you where to go and when.
Free online doctor visit if you feel sick (only available in English) https://oncare.org/
Free online coronavirus assessment: https://www.kare11.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/virtuwell-offering-free-online-coronavirus-assessment/89-ddde6e33-113e-4a88-b5cb-0165c58b0f14
Housing
First Call for Help – 211 or 651-291-0211
Available 24 hours a day to provide information on a variety of resources in your area.
Shelter Hotline – 1-888-234-1329
Resources I’ve come across on my own:
www.Kidsactivitiesblog.com – an entire listing of education companies that are offering free subscriptions due to school closings
www.youtube.com
Art for Kids Hub – we have been enjoying drawing with this app.
If you are In need of a place to stay due to a family member being self-quarantined: All 33 TPI Hospitality hotels across Minnesota are extending a $55.00 rate to anyone in need of alternate accommodations due to a family member self-quarantined at home. Contact any one of their hotels and ask for the “TPI Friends and Family Rate”
Here is a resource for an online fitness class tailored to the DD population. It is through Highland Friendship Club. Here is a link to their newsletter with more information: https://mailchi.mp/20ae989211f5/hfc-newsletter-1335696.
Tune in next month for information regarding transition – what’s after high school?
As always… give me a call if you have questions about my services or have resources you think would benefit others!
Need a Guide? Please call!
Lora Cracraft
763-360-9715 call or txt
Also – if you ever change your mind about receiving monthly emails, please just send me a note saying – unsubscribe – to autismsosmn@gmail.com and I will take you off my list.
Happy Sloshing!